Pack carrier



Juy 16, 1935. H. G. CHUTE @@y PACK CARRIER Filed June 13, 1952 `PatentedJuly 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PACK CARRIER4 Harold Gordon Chute, Seattle,Wash.

Application June 13, 1932, Serial No. 616,922

5 Claims.

The invention relates to that class of pack carriers or framesconsisting of a frame of rigid material with a harness attached offlexible material. The object of the invention is to provide 5 a deviceAof this class having a harness provided with means of adjusting theseveral parts thereof so that the straps may be adjusted in length andposition and adjusted in such relation to each other as to suit therequirements of the user, and to provide means of carrying a pack uponthe back a device which will transmit the load to the chest, sides andto the lower part of the back and to the waist line and hips, and toprevent and do away with backward strain and downward strain upon apersons back and shoulders, and in which the straps and harness are soadjustable as to afford means of placing the weight of the load upon thehips, back, shoulders, or chest, or of distributing the weight of theload over the persons hips, back, shoulders, and chest simultaneously,or as desired by the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means of carrying a packupon the back in which the straps are provided with means for adjustingthe length thereof so that the straps may be adjusted, and adjusted insuch relation to each other, as to conform to the size and dimensionsand contour and shape of the user, and so that all stretch, give, andslack may be taken up, and so the pack and frame is kept clear and awayfrom a persons body, and so that a space is provided between the packand person affording air circulation therethru, and so that the strapslie snugly upon and against the users body.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for carrying a packupon the back so that the carrier and pack will be held rigid and notswing or slip or slide upward or downward or sideways or change itsposition upon a persons back, and in which the straps and particularlythe shoulder straps are'held so that they will remain in place and notswing, slide, slip, or move backward or forward,` or from side to side,or

otherwise. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a pack carrier providedwith means whereby the straps thereof may be easily and readily removedand replaced.

And still another object of the invention is to provide a pack carrierof simple and economical construction, and to provide a comfortablemeans of carrying a pack upon the back.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description and specification of which the accompanyingdrawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement aredesignated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and inwhich:- j

VFigure 1 is a view showing the device in position upon a mans back.

Figure 2 is a front View of the device` l Figure 3 is a side elevationof the device.

Figure 4 is a detached fragmentary View of a part of the frame and aplate attached thereto.

Y Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional VView substantially on broken line5 5 of Figure 3.

, This invention is in the nature of an improvement on the pack carrierdisclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,761,426, issued Jan. 30, l930,and,ina general way the present invention consists/in providing a slidable andadjustable connection between two main shoulder straps and a rigidpack-supporting frame at the location where said shoulder straps arecrossed at the back of the user; and in providing an adjustableconnection between the upper ends of two side members of thepack-supporting frame and the front portions of the two main shoulderstraps; and in providing an adjustable waistband in connection with asubstantially semi-circular ,base member of the pack-supporting frame,said three adjustable connecting vmeans cooperating with each other insuch a manner as to make it possible to balance, distribute, andequalize Aloads and pressures in a manner which cannot be attained inpractice by the use of nxed connecting means.

It is desirable Vthat a pack carrier of this type should be adjustableto the individual user, and should also be/adjustable to obtain a properbalance for loads of different weight and bulk and should further beadjustable to compensate for stretching or shrinkage in the harnessportion of the pack carrier, said harness portion being made of exiblematerial as of cotton or leather straps which may change their lengthunder a load when they become wet or dry out. The present inventiontakes care of all of the difficulties above pointed out.

Referring to the drawing I show a pack carrier embodying a relativelyrigid pack vsupporting frame and a suitable harness for mounting saidpack supporting frame on the body of a person in such a manner that whena load is secured to the pack supporting frame said load will beproperly balanced and will be supported in the vmost advantageous way onthe body of the person; A, j,

The pack supporting frame is preferably formed of tubular metal and maycomprise two` spaced apart upright tubular side pieces 4 and 5 other bybuckle means 3 I.

Vbandforrned by parts IS and 3c adjustable as to which are rigidlysecured together by tubular cross members 6 and 'I and by a tubularcurved base member 8. The side members 4 and 5 may be curved to conformsomewhat to the curvature of the body and the upper ends of said sidemembers are curved forwardly to afford portions 22 which extend over theshoulders of the user. Loop or ring members 3 are secured to the ends ofthe curved portions 22. The base member of the pack supporting frame iscurved to substantially a semi-circular shape so as to extend around thewaist of the user and the ends of said base member 8 are xedly securedto plate elements s. These plate elementsv 9 are positioned at the sidesof the user of the pack carrier and may be curved, as 'shown in Figure5, to conform to the curvature of the body. A slot 29 is provided inthe` rearwardly extending end of each plate element Vil for purposeshereinafter described.

The harness portion of the pack carrier is constructed' so that it willcomfortably t the back and chest and'waist and hips of a wearer and saidharness portionis arranged so that it will always support the rigidparts of therframe clear of the body. This harness portion preferablyconsists ofY a waistband having a wider inner portion it, which Yextendsaround the back of the user at the location of the waist or hips and ispassed thru the slots 2s in the plate elements E, and an outer portionwhich terminates in two narrower ends`3ll which are adjustably connectedwith each This makes the Waistlength. By adjustingthe length of thiswaistband it will be apparent that the bottom member 8. of thepack-supporting franie can be positioned closer to or farther away fromthe users back and in this way the center of gravity of any load whichis secured to the pack supporting frame may be Varied to secure the mostcomfortable and least fatiguing distribution of the load.

The harness portion of the pack carrier also embodies two main shoulderstraps I2 and I3 which rest on the shoulders of the user and are crossedin the back after the fashion common to aV pair of Suspenders and whichextend from the back around tothe sides and have their lower endssecured preferably by removable means, as by suitable bolts, see Figure5, to the respective side plates il. The front sides of the mainshoulder straps I2 .and I3 extend downwardly from the shoulders over thechest of the user andare adjustably and detachably connected, as bybuckle means I, strap means i -l and snap means I8 with rings II]` whichare secured by fastening means II to the side plates il. This providesfor adjustmenty as to length and for quick attachment and detachment ofthe Vshoulder straps.

' The rear portionsof the main shoulderstraps I2 and I3 are crossed justforwardly of the horizontal frame bar 6 and are loosely connected withsaid frame bar Ei by adjustable tie straps ffl. being crossed at therear'of the frame bar This affords a slidable and an adjustableconnection between-the main shoulder straps l2 and i3 and the rearportion of the frame, the slidable feaframe,` including the frame bar Sto bemoved outwardly away from the back of the user without exerting anoutward pull on the shoulder straps,

when the pack supporting frame is adjusted by varying therlength ofwaistband I9 tonproperly balance up a pack. This permits the shoulderstraps always to lie snugly against the back. Buckle means 25 may beused to detachably connect the straps 2li to the straps I2 and I3.

The front portions of the main shoulder straps i2 and I3 are adjustablyconnected with the rings 3 at the upper ends of the pack supportingframe, as by straps Ml, buckle means 2Q, and straps 2l. This affords anadjustment by which the curved upper ends 22 of the pack frame bars Iland 5 may always be kept clear of the shoulders of the user irrespectiveof changes in length of the main shoulder straps. Rivets 2l secure thestraps 29 to the main shoulder straps I2 and I 3.

The rear loops of the rings 3 afford convenient means to which the upperportion of a pack or a sack or a load of any form, not shown, may beVattached and' other rings 3 are connected by der straps including theparts iii, I8, i6, Il, 2G,

25 and 2l are preferably adjusted so that there is not much slackbetween the rings 3 and the rings ill, thus causing the said front strapportions to draw tightly against the chest when there is a load on thepack carrier. This relieves the shoulders and back of weight andpressure.

When the device is in use the weight of the pack or load will besupported chiefly by the waistband le and main shoulder straps i2 and i3and any tendency of the upper portion of the load to tilt rearwardlywill be borne as a pressure on the chest thru tie connections with thefront portions of the main shoulder straps. The upper curved portions 22ofthe pack frame are not allowed to rest on the users shoulders. If themain shoulder straps i?. and I3ystretch enough to permit the frame ends22 to touch the shoulders Said shoulder straps may be shortened by firstloosening the straps 2d in buckles 25 and thenv tightening up the strapsI5 and i6 in the buckle members Il, thus elevating the frame ends 22.When an adjustment of kthis nature is made thestraps 20 are preferablyadjusted to maintain the desired tightness of the front portions of themain shoulder straps. These two adjusting means thus cooperate with eachother to maintain a desired relation between the several parts of thepack carrier. Adjustments of this nature are frequently desirable whenthe straps become wet or when they dry out after having been wet.

The slidable connection between the frame bar and the crossed shoulderstraps i2 and i3 allows automatic adjustment at this point in responseto take up or stretching of the several straps and in response toadjustments of the nature describedk in the preceding paragraph. Theadjustable feature of the straps- 24 has a cooperation with theadjustable waistband and makes it possible to move the pack framefarther away from the back without pulling the straps I2 and I 3outwardly away from the back. y

Adjustment of the waistband I9 may be desirable for the purpose ofbalancing up a load so that the center of gravity of the load may becaused to fall in the best possible location and any tendency of theupper portion of the load to tilt rearwardly may be overcome. Tighteningof the waistbandIS-3Il will obviously cause the lower end of the packframe to stand away from the back of the user. By adjustment of theshoulder straps I2 and i3 it is possible to vary the relative proportionof weight which will be carried on said shoulder straps and on thewaistband.

Members A and 5 and cross members 6 and 1 should not be in contact withthe users body. Should the waistband I9 or the main shoulder straps i2and i3, cr both, stretch enough to permit the said rigid members totouch the wearers back the waistband ifi and the main shoulder straps i2and i3 may be shortened by the adjustment means provided thuspositioning the said rigid members away from the users body. Thisadjustment of said waistband and shoulder straps may be made in suchrelation to each other as not to vary the relative proportion of theweight of the load which will be carried on said shoulder straps and onthe waistband.

The several straps are readily removable and may be easily replaced.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a pack carrier of the class described, a harness adapted to beplaced on the body of a person, said harness having two main shoulderstraps crossed at the back, a substantially rigid pack frame connectedwith said harness, said pack frame having a substantially rigid crossbar extending over the crossed portions of said main shoulder straps,and two tie straps connected at spaced apart points with said two mainshoulder straps and extending loosely over said cross bar on the sideVof the cross bar opposite from the main Y'shoulder straps allowing saidcross bar to occupy a position in spaced relation to said main shoulderstraps clear of the back of a wearer and allowing relative movementbetween the shoulder straps and the cross bar. k

2. In a pack carrier of the class described, a pack frame embodying twoside bars connected together by substantially rigid cross bars andhaving a substantially semi-circular base member secured thereto; aiiexible waistband connected with the forward end portions of saidsemi-circular base member and positioned within said base member inspaced relation from the base member in normal operation and Yarrangedto engage with the back of a person at the location of the waist, meansfor adjusting the length of said waist band whereby the distance of saidpack frame from the back of a person may be varied, two main shoulderstraps connected with the ends of said pack frame base member andadapted to extend over the shoulders of a person, said main shoulderstraps being crossed at the back, the crossed portions of said strapsbeing positioned under one of said cross bars and resting against thewearers back, two tie straps connected at spaced apart intervals withsaid two main shoulder straps and extending over said cross bar andmeans for adjusting the length of said tie straps.

3. In a pack carrier for the use of a person, a pack Vframe embodyingtwo side bars having curved portions adapted to extend up over theshoulders of a person to a point near the front of the body, a baseportion of substantially semi-circular shape secured 'to said side bars,two main shoulder straps having their lower rear ends connectedrespectively with the ends of said semicircular base portion andextending upwardly in crossed relation and thence forwardly and thencedownwardly and having their lower forward ends connected respectivelywith the ends of said semicircular base, other strap members havingtheir upper ends connected with the forward ends of the side framemembers and having their lower ends connected with the front portions ofsaid shoulder straps at a substantial distance below the ends of saidside frame members, and means for adjusting the length of said lastnamed strap members to thereby vary the relative slackness between thefront portions and the shoulder and rear portions of said main shoulderstraps. i

4. In a pack carrier for the use of a person, a pack frame embodying twoside bars having curved portions adapted to extend up over the shouldersof a person to a point near the front of the body, a base portion ofsubstantially semicircular shape secured to said side bars, two mainshoulder straps having their lower rear ends connected respectively withthe ends of. said semicircular base portion and extending upwardly incrossed relation and thence forwardly and thence downwardly, adjustablemeans connecting the forward ends` of said main shoulder straps with therespective ends of said semicircular base portion, other strap membershaving their upper ends connected with the forward ends of the sideframe members and having their lower ends connected with the frontportions of said main shoulder straps at a substantial distance belowthe ends of said side' frame members, and means for adjusting thelengths of said other strap members.

5. In a pack carrier for the use of a person, a pack frame embodying twoside bars having curved top portions extending upwardly and forwardly, abase portion of substantially semicircular shape secured to the lowerends of said side bars, a cross bar extending between said two sidebars, side plates Vsecured to the respective ends of said semicircularbase portion, a flexible waistband connected with said side plates andextending across said base member on the concave side thereof, means foradjusting the length of said waistband, two main shoulder straps havingtheir lower rear ends connected with the respective side plates andextending upwardly in crossed relation and thence forwardly and thencedownwardly, two tie straps of adjustable length connected at spacedapart intervals with the back portions of said two shoulder straps andextending over said cross bar of said pack frame whereby said shoulderstraps are loosely connected with said cross bar, adjustable meansconnecting the forward ends of said shoulder strapswith the respectiveside plates, other strap members having their upper ends connected withthe forward ends of the side frame members and having their lower endsconnected with the front portions of said shoulder straps at asubstantial distance below the ends of said side frame members and meansfor adjustingthe length of said otherk strap members.

HAROLD GORDON CHUTE.

